The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-01-20

welfare of the students; and Imay add
that the fact that young man is a
Richmond College boy enkindles my
brotherly interest IN him.
When Cluverius was arrested it was
a great sorrow to me, but determined
that | would not visit him, provided
any other minister evinced any active
interest in his case. | waited for weeks
to see whether or not he would find in
some other direction a suitable man to
deal with the religious problems of his
! imperilled life. 1t was phase of min
isterial duty from which l recoiled.
The days went by, and yet while he
had many visitors l could not learn
that any preacher had gone near him.
A few days before his trial | paid him
a brief visit, expressed no opinion as to
his guilt, or as to the probable issue of
his trial, prayed with him at his own
request, and left. He did not ask me
to become his religious counsellor in
any exclusive sense, but thanked me
warmly for the visit and asked me to
call again. Some time after his con-
viction | paid him a second visit, and
then during the year which followed |
visited him two or three times. While
never reluctant to converse on religious
! topics he was not specially communl-
cative Indeed, he was SO emphatic
in the protestations of his innocence
and SO hopeful that he would be de-
livered from death that did not feel
that my visits were specially profitable.
He was sociable, chatty, agreeable, and
always respectful to spiritual things,
but his face was not turned toward
death. This rather discouraged me,
for | was too busy to pay him merely
social or sympathetic attention. and so
l desisteo from my visits. | remained
away from the prison purposely that
he might either select some other min
ister if he preferred, or that he might
at least take me into more intimate
confidence with him. During last
autumn he wrote me note requesting
me to come to see him. | went prompt
ly, and he then expressed the wish that
l would visit him regularly. Since that
time | have often been with him, and
so far as l know, had his unlimited
confidence.
ASKING FOR RESPITE.
Reporter: / suppose, Doctor, that
while you have been his spiritual
teacher you have also taken an active
interest in his temporal welfare.
DR.. Hatcher: What do you mean?
Reporter: Well, frankly, l want to
know whether you have been actively
associated with the different schemes
for saving the prisoner from the gal
lows.
DR.. Hatcher: OF course I have fel
an interest in these movements fo1
several reasons. ! hoped all the time
as others did, that he might be able tc
establish his innocence, and | watched
with intense solicitude every develop
ment that limited at such a result Bu
| was not at work on that line. Tha
was not my business. He neve
, sought to use me for any such pur
, poses. This l say as an act OF justice
!, to him. The only service that eve
rendered him was in presenting th'
= petition for his reprieve. 1t is tru
that on last Thursday night l calle'
, on Governor Lee on my own motto
and urged him to consider favorabl
, the appeal for further time. This
did for reasons which l would like t
explain later. He never asked 70
anything else.
:. Reporter: On what ground did yo
ask the Governor to respite the pris
oner the first time?
DR.. Hatcher: | dictated the form {
: his petition, and added nothing to tn
appeal except the declaration that i
:. my judgment the young man had bee
y, so constantly buoyed with the hope c
deliveTance that ne had not sufficient
pondered the solemnity of his situation
u PRIs oNER's LOVE OF LIFE.
: Reporter: Was he not about {
} hopeful after his respite on the Sth {
Il December as he was before?
DR.. Hatcher: | think not He tol
r me repeatedly that he regarded h
t situation as well-nigh beyond huma
; hope. He said that he felt that it We
:. not only his right but his imperatl,
: duty to exhaust every possible expt
e dient to avoid a doom to him S
e shameful and unmerited and so bi
g ter and crushing to his family. Th
IS he did, and in manner that impresse
h me with his boundless and ever-yearr
o ing love of life. The waves wei
:. beating over hiEl, and instinctively
e clutched every straw that hoate
II within his reach, and vet it was hard
y the work of hope. He did not gl,
himself up to dreamy expectation
: but turned his eyes fxedly upon
l. doom. Immediately after his reprie,
he decided to prepare the story of h
Y. life, and said that it would be
d dying statement.
n THE BOOK.
r, Reporter: Did you encourage hi
~ to prepare that book?
y DR.. Hatcher: | cannot say that
RS did. | begged him not to DreDare